EducationNPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94NPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94EducationSun, 18 Feb 2018 04:33:12 +0000Educationhttp://wvtf.org
Michael PopeAs lawmakers return to Richmond this year, many of them will be focused on reforming Virginia’s system of standardized testing.The On-Going Debate Over Standardized Testing in Virginiahttp://wvtf.org/post/going-debate-over-standardized-testing-virginia
95006 as http://wvtf.orgThu, 28 Dec 2017 21:54:48 +0000The On-Going Debate Over Standardized Testing in VirginiaJordy YagerThe Slave Dwelling Project recently held its largest ever event at the University of Virginia to commemorate the hundreds of enslaved men, women and children who built and ran the school in the 19 th century. Nearly 3-dozen panels saw more than 100 speakers over the three days. But at the center was an outdoor sleepover in near freezing temperatures, where the enslaved would have slept.Connecting Past to Present: Facing Uncomfortable Truths, Honoring UVA's Slaves at First Symposiumhttp://wvtf.org/post/connecting-past-present-facing-uncomfortable-truths-honoring-uvas-slaves-first-symposium
90521 as http://wvtf.orgTue, 24 Oct 2017 23:43:15 +0000Connecting Past to Present: Facing Uncomfortable Truths, Honoring UVA's Slaves at First SymposiumSandy HausmanConcerned about the high cost of text books for their students, some professors have begun creating their own free or low cost materials, and their universities are making it worth their while.Easing Student Expenses One Textbook at a Timehttp://wvtf.org/post/easing-student-expenses-one-textbook-time
73241 as http://wvtf.orgWed, 15 Feb 2017 16:51:22 +0000Easing Student Expenses One Textbook at a TimeMichael PopeWhen students misbehave, how much discipline is too much? Lawmakers will be tackling that issue when they convene in Richmond for this year’s session.School Discipline Reform Will Be on General Assembly Dockethttp://wvtf.org/post/school-discipline-reform-will-be-general-assembly-docket
70743 as http://wvtf.orgTue, 10 Jan 2017 21:41:32 +0000School Discipline Reform Will Be on General Assembly DocketNick GilmoreOne Virginia teacher got a very special surprise today — a $25,000 teaching award to be used in any way she wants.Roanoke County Elementary School Teacher Receives One of Education's Highest Honorshttp://wvtf.org/post/roanoke-county-elementary-school-teacher-receives-one-educations-highest-honors
68488 as http://wvtf.orgWed, 07 Dec 2016 20:42:13 +0000Roanoke County Elementary School Teacher Receives One of Education's Highest HonorsSandy HausmanA new report from the University of Virginia shows about ten percent of students in this state’s public schools are absent for three weeks or more each year, and in three large districts the rates were even higher. When Professor Luke Miller and his colleagues graphed the number of kids who were chronically absent from public schools in Richmond, Petersburg and Norfolk, they ended up with something resembling the letter U: “It’s high in pre-K, decreases towards the 5 th grade, and then it jumps way up, so that in high school in Richmond and in Petersburg, in some high schools close to 40% of kids are missing 10% or more of the school year, which is astonishingly high. If we want kids to graduate from school with whatever skills we deem are important, they kind of have to be in school.” Miller found students who were chronically absent did not do as well as those who attended regularly, and they continued to suffer academically for another two years. He also found kids who moved fromChronic Absence is a Big Problem in These School Districts - but it's Getting Betterhttp://wvtf.org/post/chronic-absence-big-problem-these-school-districts-its-getting-better
66021 as http://wvtf.orgWed, 02 Nov 2016 08:00:00 +0000Chronic Absence is a Big Problem in These School Districts - but it's Getting BetterSandy HausmanOver the last 20 years we’ve seen a growing reliance on multiple choice tests to figure out how well students are learning and how well teachers are teaching. Now, however, public schools in Virginia are moving away from that approach, trying new ways to grade as Sandy Hausman reports. It’s Thursday morning in Mrs. Agee’s fifth grade class at Crozet Elementary – about 20 miles east of Shenandoah National Park. The kids have read a novel called Grandpa’s Mountain -- about how families living in the future park were forced to leave. Now, students form two lines – facing each other – to debate the pros and cons of eminent domain – allowing the government to force the sale of private property for public good. “I don’t think people should be forced to leave their house, just because the government wants other people to enjoy it,” says one student. “I disagree, because only 500 families had to move out, and now over a million people can enjoy it every year,” argues another. “Sometimes youNew Ways to Gradehttp://wvtf.org/post/new-ways-grade
65031 as http://wvtf.orgMon, 17 Oct 2016 16:39:01 +0000New Ways to GradeMallory Noe-PayneStrapped for cash, some public schools in Virginia are operating without a principal or a nurse, but the state’s board of education met today to discuss requiring those jobs be filled.Department of Education to Change Policies Over Principals and School Nurseshttp://wvtf.org/post/department-education-change-policies-over-principals-and-school-nurses
63543 as http://wvtf.orgThu, 22 Sep 2016 20:07:51 +0000Department of Education to Change Policies Over Principals and School NursesSandy HausmanThere’s good news today for about 400,000 students planning to attend state colleges and universities in the fall. Tuition and fees are up 3.6% on average -- the lowest increase in 15 years.The Cost of Attending College in the Commonwealthhttp://wvtf.org/post/cost-attending-college-commonwealth
60268 as http://wvtf.orgTue, 02 Aug 2016 17:35:37 +0000The Cost of Attending College in the CommonwealthMallory Noe-PayneRichmond’s Public Library is hosting its sixth annual “Girls of Summer” event Wednesday. It’s the kick-off for an empowering summer reading list, put together by two local authors.Girls of Summer Event to Empower with Readinghttp://wvtf.org/post/girls-summer-event-empower-reading
57845 as http://wvtf.orgTue, 28 Jun 2016 18:51:14 +0000Girls of Summer Event to Empower with ReadingPayton KnobelochA 99-year-old, 40-foot green boxcar at Apple Ridge Farm summer camp in Floyd County has been repurposed into a completely sustainable, off-the-grid classroom called EBase USA .Fully Sustainable Classroom Launches in Floyd Countyhttp://wvtf.org/post/fully-sustainable-classroom-launches-floyd-county
56536 as http://wvtf.orgThu, 09 Jun 2016 19:00:16 +0000Fully Sustainable Classroom Launches in Floyd CountySandy HausmanVirginia’s General Assembly has agreed on a budget for the next two years, but Governor Terry McAuliffe is not happy with some parts of the spending plan. In an exclusive interview, he told WVTF’s Sandy Hausman he wants more cash for certain schools.Governor McAuliffe Vows Putting Extra Cash in Public Educationhttp://wvtf.org/post/governor-mcauliffe-vows-putting-extra-cash-public-education
51511 as http://wvtf.orgSun, 03 Apr 2016 15:22:33 +0000Governor McAuliffe Vows Putting Extra Cash in Public EducationSandy HausmanVirginia is in for several more weeks of winter, but spring fashions are on display in stores. Most were designed in big, international cities like Paris or New York, but a growing number actually originated here in the Commonwealth. In the first part of our series, Sandy Hausman looks at why clothing design is taking root in Richmond. The fashion runways of New York are more than 300 miles from Virginia’s capital city, but in the 21 st century, cities have grown closer. E.P. Cutler is a best-selling author and fashion historian. “I think that the Internet and its relationship with fashion has changed everything. It has allowed fashion into the homes of anyone that is interested. You can watch, literally in real time, street fashion in Milan from your own apartment. And that ability to see what is going on in the cultural capitals all over the world makes it smaller.” We spoke with Cutler at Richmond’s trendy new boutique hotel – Quirk – which features an art gallery adjacent to itsFashion in Virginia: Design takes Root in Richmondhttp://wvtf.org/post/fashion-virginia-design-takes-root-richmond
49071 as http://wvtf.orgWed, 17 Feb 2016 19:39:41 +0000Fashion in Virginia: Design takes Root in RichmondMallory Noe-PayneAccording to a new poll from the Virginia Education Association, almost three quarters of Virginians say teachers in the state don’t make enough money. It looks like teachers will be getting a raise in this year’s budget...but the question is how much. Virginia’s teachers make almost $7,000 below the the national average. And that’s making it hard for the state to attract, and keep, teachers in the classroom -- says Meg Gruber with the Education Association. “Depending on where you teach, maybe you’ll make 40 in your first year? That’s tough for teachers to look at to stay in the job,” said Gruber at a press conference Tuesday. The governor has requested a two-percent raise for teachers, but not for another year. Many say that’s too little, too late, including some Republicans in the House and the Senate. “If we want to continue to retrain and attract highly qualified teachers, we need to treat them like the professionals that they are,” said Senator Glen Sturtevant. Sturtevant is aTeacher Pay Raise May Be Too Little, Too Latehttp://wvtf.org/post/teacher-pay-raise-may-be-too-little-too-late
48789 as http://wvtf.orgWed, 10 Feb 2016 17:25:57 +0000Teacher Pay Raise May Be Too Little, Too LateRobbie HarrisA new exhibit at the Blacksburg Children’s Museum features satellite imagery of the area and a real time weather station to show how geography and climate are related. The terrain in and around Blacksburg is breathtaking with its mountain ridges, forests and waterways. And, the view from hundreds of miles up is a great way to appreciate it. A team of professors and grad students at Virginia Tech created a wall-sized map from satellite photos by the US Geological Survey . Professor Jim Campbell says the color-coded, image enhanced picture is a great way for kids to get an understanding of the world around them and where they are in it. “And especially when their parents say ‘this is where I lived, right here when I was your age or this is where grandma lives.’” The map shows not only the local terrain, but also the temperatures in every location at the moment this photo was taken by Landsat, a network of satellites that have been capturing images of earth from space since the earlyYou Are Here: New Children's Exhibit in Blacksburg Examines Landscape and Temperaturehttp://wvtf.org/post/you-are-here-new-childrens-exhibit-blacksburg-examines-landscape-and-temperature
48707 as http://wvtf.orgMon, 08 Feb 2016 21:18:06 +0000You Are Here: New Children's Exhibit in Blacksburg Examines Landscape and TemperatureWhat if high-schoolers in Virginia could take a computer programming class instead of French or Spanish? Lawmakers in Richmond are considering allowing that swap, as one way to get more kids into computer science. With talk of gigahertz and infinite loops, Intro to Computer Programming at Henrico County’s Deep Run High School , certainly sounds like a foreign language class. And if some Virginia lawmakers get their way, it could also count as a foreign language. Currently, to earn an advanced high school diploma in the state, students need to complete three years of one language, or two years of two languages. But if any number of a suite proposed bills on the table at the General Assembly become law, students could count computer programming as one of those languages. It's an idea that Arvind Anand, a sophomore at Deep Run, could get behind. “That would actually make my year, not only does it make sense, it's something that I'm interested in,” Anand said. “Because in Spanish classSpanish, French, HTML: The Proposal to Offer Computer Programming as a Foreign Languagehttp://wvtf.org/post/spanish-french-html-proposal-offer-computer-programming-foreign-language
48560 as http://wvtf.orgThu, 04 Feb 2016 23:02:34 +0000Spanish, French, HTML: The Proposal to Offer Computer Programming as a Foreign LanguageSandy HausmanThe general public might think of universities as places for learning – and that would make teaching a valued resource, but a growing number of people at the head of college classrooms are making less than the minimum wage, have no job security and no benefits. In this three-part series, Sandy Hausman reports that a majority of college instructors are not tenured or even on track to full-time, tenured positions. Rose Forp spent many years training adults in the workplace. Over time, it dawned on her that she loved to teach. “I loved being able to take ideas, explain them and then see that goes on in the eyes.” So she quit her job and went back to school – to get the degree she needed to teach at the college level, but when it came time to look for a full-time post, she was dismayed to find slim pickings. “You cannot imagine the number of jobs today that you see: Visiting assistant professor – one year only. You see that nine times out of ten.” In fact, a majority of those who teachContingent Faculty: Living on the Academic Edge Serieshttp://wvtf.org/post/contingent-faculty-living-academic-edge-series
48504 as http://wvtf.orgWed, 03 Feb 2016 17:12:18 +0000Contingent Faculty: Living on the Academic Edge SeriesRobbie HarrisVirginia Tech is looking to become a leader in inclusion and diversity on campus with new programs and a new person to guide them. The freshman class at Virginia Tech this year is not only the largest in the university’s history, it’s also the most diverse. Next month a new vice provost for inclusion and diversity will lead the effort to build upon that. Menah Pratt-Clarke hales from the University of Illinois, where she held a similar position. Here’s how she describes her goals. “Making sure that everyone who is on campus feels welcome, included, safe, supported affirmed, in their identity and who they are.” According to a website “College Factual,” Tech’s ethnic and racial diversity is about a match for the national average. “I feel like there’s a lot of strong foundational elements here and I think the opportunity to help coordinate and facilitate collaboration to really move the needle in a more substantial way is, hopefully, a skillset that I can bring.” According to theVirginia Tech's New Leader in Diversity on Campus Takes Her Posthttp://wvtf.org/post/virginia-techs-new-leader-diversity-campus-takes-her-post
48452 as http://wvtf.orgTue, 02 Feb 2016 17:03:48 +0000Virginia Tech's New Leader in Diversity on Campus Takes Her PostSandy HausmanLast spring, the Center for Public Integrity named Virginia as the state most likely to call the cops on kids at school. Now, the Legal Aid Justice Center is calling on Virginia’s legislature to do something about that. Children in Virginia are three times more likely than kids in other states to be arrested at school, and the Legal Aid Justice Center says the odds are even higher in certain communities and for certain children. “There’s massive racial disparities and there’s massive disparities with respect to students with disabilities.” That’s attorney Jason Langberg. He says it’s wrong to apply criminal terms to bad behavior by children. “Something as childish as running down the hallway or a quick pushing and shoving can be characterized as disorderly conduct if not assault and battery. We’ve seen kids who’ve experienced very serious trauma who are aggressively grabbed from behind, and when they react in understandable and predictable ways, they’re then charged with assault andCops In Classroomshttp://wvtf.org/post/cops-classrooms
48119 as http://wvtf.orgMon, 25 Jan 2016 19:04:54 +0000Cops In ClassroomsMallory Noe-PayneVirginia’s schools don’t have enough qualified teachers for career and technical classes. So, lawmakers in Richmond are considering a bill that would ease requirements on those jobs. Under proposed legislation, schools could hire part-time professionals who know the subject to teach, but don’t have a teaching license. Pulaski County has been looking for someone to teach their high schoolers drafting, how to draw up architectural plans. They’ve been looking since the beginning of the school year and the job is still open. Republican Senator Frank Ruff wants to make it easier for the county to fill that job — and others like it — at least on a temporary basis. "If we can get that expertise into the classroom even for a few hours a day, a few hours a week, then that's a positive,” said Ruff. For Ruff, this bill is part of a larger push to get more technical, hands-on classes in high schools across the state. Classes that could lead to well-paying jobs, but don't require a four-year degreeLawmakers are Considering Bill that Could Bring Part-Time Expertise to Schoolshttp://wvtf.org/post/lawmakers-are-considering-bill-could-bring-part-time-expertise-schools
47965 as http://wvtf.orgThu, 21 Jan 2016 21:55:50 +0000Lawmakers are Considering Bill that Could Bring Part-Time Expertise to Schools